Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Jlbo 95/15413 ~1 7 ~ 7 3 ~ PCT~SI 94/01140
A COMPACT FRAME ASSEMBLY FOR A PRESS
IN A PAPERMAKING OR BOARDMAKING MAC~INE
TECHNICAL FELD
The present invention relates to a compact frame assembly for a press having two parallel
opposed rolls for subjecting a movimg web to pressure in a nip formed between the rolls, both
of which have two ends. At least one of the rolls has a stationary support beam, a rotatable roll
shell disposed æbout the beam and defining a space ~ II7 and a roll shell support
carried by the beam in the spæe for providing ~ vable and rotatable support of the
0 roll shell relative to the support beam. The compæt frame assembly mcludes four bearing
housing members æ'apted to be mounted one on each roll end for supporting the roll end at
least pivotally. Each of the two bearing housing members for one of the rolls is adapted to be
disposed at an adjæent one of the two bearing housimg members for the other roll and form
with said adjacent bearing housing member a pair of bearmg housing members. The compact
frame assembly fur~her includes a device for ' v the two bearing housing membersof each pair. The v device imcludes for each pair of bearing housing members at
least two " v members, and each member has a web portion and two rim portions
projecting from the web portion. The bearing housimg members have surfaces defining recesses
for engagement with said rim portions so as to prevent the two bearing housing members of
each pair from appreciably movmg away from each other on loading of the press.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVI~TION
Al&ough prestressed press framework of the type disclosed in United States Patent No.
5,207,872 (Jansson) for a I I v or lv, v machme has proved to be excellent in
most respects, im certain cases--such as when rebuilding the press sections of certain
v or ~ v machines by substitutmg a shoe type press amd associated framing
for an existing high impact roll press and associated framing, for example--it will require a
larger space th~m the one available. To overcome this ~' ' v . a few compact frame
designs have been developed, cf. T ' Patent Publications No. WO 92/17641
(J.M. Voith) and WO 93/12290 a.M. Voith), and Europe~m Patent Publication No.
EP-A- 0 553 462 (c ~ L~:l.,l Wyss), for example. These compæt frame designs permit an
easy substitution of a new felt for a worn one, the two first ones also permit an easy
substitntion of a new flexible roll shell for a worn one, and they form a platform on which the
present invention is based.
In the compact frame designs disclosed in the WO 92/17641 and WO 9311æ90, at their
ends the two rolls are supported in bearing housing members. The bearing housmg members of
WO 95/15413 ~ 1 7 6 7 3 ~ PCrlSE94101140--
one roii are comnectcd to those of the other rolli by means of ~u~ shaped tie rods
having hammer head ends. The tie }ods are designed to be of relatively low flexurali rigidity,
and they are inserted from positions lateral of the roilis into recesses provided in the bearing
housing members at locations closer to the load plane of the press. When the press is unloaded,
each bearing housing member of one roili may be spaced a variable distance from the adjacent
bearing housing member of the other roil or, ' ~ , may support the adjacent bearing
housing member indirectly over an y member, which is removable in order to
simplify an exchange of a press fabric extending through the press nip formed between the
rol~is. However, in an unloaded press the tie rods are not prestressed at alli or just very little, so
that also in the latter case a loading of the press wiil stretch the tie rods elasticai'iy arid cause
the forming of a gap between the y member and the bearing housing member that inan unloaded press is supported thereby. The ~de rods may be 0.7 to 1.5 meters in length, and the
elastic stretching of them results in a i~irger required stroke of the press shoe in order to bridge
the formed gap and achieve the desired pressing effect im the extended nip. The disclosed
design perriiits axial '; .' of a bearing housing member in relation to the y
member and the other bearing housing member of a pair to compensate for changes in length
caused by thermal expansion or contraction of the stationary support beam or the rvtatable ro
shell, for example. On the other hand, a long stroke of the press shoe is ~ v For
example, when the press shoe is included m a shoe type press rov havmg a flexible roU shell
for forming an extended press nip, a long stro~e wiri expose the flexible rol~i shell to larger
stresses and, . 1!" contribute to a reduction of the iife of the flexible rolli she~
When the two bearing housing members of a pair are not rigidliy pressed against each
other, there is some risk of one of them becoming dislocated to a position at the side of the
load plane of the press. A dislocation willi cause the nip pressure profile to vary in the crvss
machine direction. To solve this problem, the WO 93/12290 proposes the use of gliide surfaces
that extend parailiel to the load plane and maintain the two bearing housimg members of a pair
in proper aliignment aliso when they move away from each other.
Also in the compact frame design disclosed in the EP-A- 0 553 462 the bearmg housimg
members of one roili are comnected to those of the other rol'i by means of ' 1~ I-sh~iped
tie rvds that are parailiel to the load plane of the press. However, in this case the tie rod ends
are enliarged to a semicircular shape, the striight boundary liine of which forms the end face of
the tie rod. As before, the bearing housmg members are provided with recesses for engagement
with the be rods, but the be rods are inserted into the recesses from posibons axiai~iy outside of
the bearing housing members. A removable y member of a rectangular cross section
may be partly embedded in each of the two bearing housing members of a pair in order to
absorb any occurring shear forces. This design is unstable in the machine direcbon and requires
~176~3~
~o 9511S413 pcr/sE94loll4o
that the bearing housing members of at least one of the rolls are supported m the machme
direction by roll standards or the like. Altbough it is stated in the EP-A- 0 553 402 that by
removing the ' y member and the tie rods am exchamge of the flexible roll shell can be
carried out without amy problems, the drawing clearly shows that it is impossible to exchange
the flexible roll shell without first removmg one of the bearing housmg members from the
stationary support beam, because they are too large to pass through the interior of the flexible
roll shell.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INV~IION
0 An object of the present iDvention is to provide a compact frame assembly for a press in a
l ~ v or ~ v machme, which assembly permits an vasy exch~mge of a felt
and/or a flexible roll shell, and in which the distance roU axis to roU axis in the press is
mamtained ' '~ constant on loadmg of tbe prvss.
In accord~mce witb the present invention this object is achieved by . v the
followmg features in the compact frame assembly described in the first paragraph above.
The members are in the shape of sturdy chalmel bars, amd the web portion
and the two rim portions of the v members constitute a chaonel bottom amd two
chanrlel sides, respectively, in vach chalmel bar. Each charmel formed by each chaonel bar has a
~ ' cross sectional shape ohat over a major portion of a chaumel depth is of const~mt
channel width from chaonel side to channel side. Further, each hearmg housmg member in each
pair includes a plate member having two sides which, when the bearing housimg member is
moumted on a roll end, extend in a plane ' 'ly parallel to a plame ~ to an
axis of rotation of the rotatable roll shell, with one side facmg the rolls and the other side
facimg in an opposite direction. The recesses for engagement with the v members
are elongated amd ' '~ L-shaped in cross section amd located one im each side of the
plate member at am edge thereof. Additionally the recesses extend parallel to each other and to
the dl,~... ' edge, so as to form in one of the two plate members a head portion of
. ' "~, T-shaped cross svction amd in the other a foot portion of inverted ' '1~,
T-shaped cross section. At their top, the head portion and the foot portion each have a cross
30 piece with a central portion, two free ends, amd a plame top face. The two plate members in
each p~ur of bearing housing members are disposed with the cross piece top face of the head
portion facing the cross piece top face of the foot portion. The cross piece of the head pofion,
the cross piece of the foot portion and, if desired, a removable " ~ member, which
spaces the foot portion from the head portion, are all of a combined thic~ness o'lat is slightly
35 smaller than the chamnel width of the channel bars. Still further, a device is provided for
mounting two channd bars with their charmels fæing eæh other, one on each side of the pair
WO 95/15413 . PCr/SE94/01140 --
217~736 4
of plate members, amd with the channel bars in clamping engagement with the cross pieces of
the head portion amd the foot portion.
Since the compact frame assembly of the present inYention does not require the provision
of a removable ' .y member between the two bearmg housing members of one pair in
order to permit an easy exchange of felt or flexible roll shell, it is suitable that the head portion
directly supports the foot portion, at least when the press is in an unloaded coDdition.
Means suitably are provided for preventing the plate members from being displæedrelative to each other m a plane 1, ~ to a loading direction of the press. Such' . preventing means may be located between the two plate members of eæh pair and
o may mcludes keys disposed in two pairs of crossing opposed key-ways provided in the two
plate members of eæh plate member pair.
In order to avoid that the weights of the channel bars will be a bother to the mechanics,
the device for mounting the chalmel bars preferably mcludes a device for movmg the charmel
bars between a first position, where they are in engagement with the head portion amd foot
portion of ' - '1~, T-shaped cross section of eæh of the plate members in a pair of
housing members, and a second position, where the charmel bars are more spæed from each
other and out of engagement with the portions, so as to permit one of the portions to be moved
away from the other. The moving device may mclude a link system, in which the chalmel bars
are suspended, and at least one actuator for swinging the links of the system amd, thus, the
chamnel bars away from amd back toward one another.
To æhieve am mexpensive and reliable position locking of the chalmel bars, the device for
moumting the channel bars preferably includes at least one nut member that is secured to an
axial end of one of the two chalmd bars, a screw guide member secured to am adjacent axial
end of the other chalmel bar, amd a machine screw. The nut member has a threaded bore
extending in a direction ~ t~ - to the web portion of said one of the
charmel bars, and the screw guide member has a bore exùnding in a direction ' '1~
I" .1, 1:. 1 -- to the web pordon of said other channel bar and in alignment with the threaded
bore when the two channel bars are in engagement with the cross pieces of the head portion amd
the foot portion. The mæhine screw extends through the bore of the screw guide member and
into threaded engagement with the threaded bore of the nut member.
To facilitate the exchange of a press felt or a flexible roll shell, it is suitable to provide a
device for temporarily spacing one of the rolls from the other roll, after first ~' ~ the
channd bars from the bearing housing members, so as to form between the two rolls a
temporary gap permitting the exchange of the press fabric or the flexible roll shell.
Preferably, when one of du two rolls is a shoe type press roll having a stationary support
beam and a rotatable, flexible roll shell of a I ' ' diameter, a maximum dimension of
WO 95/15413 ~ 6 7 3 ~ pcrlsEs4loll4o
the bearing housing members for the shoe type press roll is smaller than said I ' '
diameter, so as to permit a wom flexible shell to be pulled out axially from the support beam
amd exteriorly of the be~ing housmg member, and a new flexible shell to be substitnted for the
worn one by pulling the new shell exteriorly over the bearmg housing member and onto the
p 5 support beam. In order to facilitate this exchamge, the charmel bars are ': ' ' from the
bearing housmg members and one of the rolls is temporarily lifted from the other roll.
Additionally, one end of the shoe type press roll is lifted from a frame member normally
supporting the bearing housing member, so as to form a temporary gap between the bearing
housing member of the lifted end of the shoe type press roll amd the frame member,
o The present imvention will below be described more in detail with reference to the
appended drawings, which illustrate preferred; ' ' of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a schematic side eleva~donal view of a part of a press section of a I . ' _ or
;: ' ' _ machine including a press having a compact frame assembly.
Fig. 2 is a schematic cross sectional view of the press, which is a ~ AI extended
nip press and has a shoe type press roU amd a coumter roll.
Fig. 3 is am enlarged scale side elevational view of the compact frame assembly shown in
Fig. 1, includmg two bearing housimg members, members for _ the bearing
housing membeLs, the two rolls carried by the assembly, and a device in accordmce with one
of the invention for moving the - _ members into and ont of
engagement with the bearing housing members
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal elevational view of the compact frame assembly shown in Fig. 3
and the ends of the two rolls carried by the assembly.
Fig. ~ is a longitudinal elevational view similar to Fig. 4 but showmg the compact frame
assembly when the two bearing housmg members are !'' ' I from each other and one roll
lifted up from the otheL
Fig. 6 is an enlarged scale cross sectional view taken upon Iine Vl-VI of Fig. 3 with the
press nnloaded amd shows a head portion of ' "~, T-shaped cross section on one bearing
housimg member amd a foot portion of inverted ~ , T-shaped cross section on the other
bearing housing member ' by means of _ members, the foot portion
standmg on the head portion.
Fig. 7 is an enlarged scale cross sectional view similar to Fig. 6 but with the press loaded
and a gap spacmg the foot portion from the head portion.
Fig. 8 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 3, showing the compact frame assembly
including two bearing housing members, members for _ the bearing housing
WO 95/15413 ~ 1 7 ~ 7 3 ~ PCT/SE94/01140 --
members, and a device in accordance with another ' " of the invention for moving the
_ members into and out of engagement with the bearing housmg members.
Fig. 9 is a longitudinal elevational view of the compact frame assembly shown in Fig. 8, in
its position in engagement with the bearing housing members.
Fig. 10 is a longitudinal elevabonal view of the compact frame assembly of Fig. 9, moved
to a position partially out of engagement with the bearing housing members.
Fig. Il is a longitndinal elevational view similar to Fig. 10, moved to a position fully out
of engagement with the bealing housing members.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ~LUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
Fig. 1 shows a downstream portion of a press section of a 1 . ' or l
machine, and an upstream portion of a drying section connecting on to the press section. The
machine has a frame including two I ' "~v extending parallel bottom rails, one of which
is shown in Fig. I and desigrlated 1. A plurality of vertical columns, one of which is shown in
Fig. I and designated 2, are supported by the bottom rails and extend upward therefrom. At
their tops, the columns support l _ " "~ extending top beams, one of wbich is shown in
Fig. 1 and designated 3, parallel to each other and to the bottom rails. ~vhere necessary, the top
beams, the columns and the bottom rails are ' by means of laterally extending
cross beams, not shown.
The illustrated portion of the press section mcludes a press having two parallel opposing
rolls 4 and 5 for subjecting a moving paper or board web W to pressure in a nip formed
between the ro31s 4 and 5. The shown press has roll S located on top of roll 4 to fomm a vertical
press plane, and the press is a _' .~1~1 press having an endless press felt 6 rum ing through
the press nip for transporiing the moving web W through the nip. Even though not illustrated,
the press could be a ' ' ' fdt~,d press where the web is sandwiched between two press felts
while passing through the nip, or, ~ ,Iy, it could be a calender where no fdt or other
fabric is used for passing the web through the ndp. A calender is located downstream of the
drying section or separate from the paper or board machine and is used for subjecting the paper
or board web to a mechanical treatment in a roll nip to change the shape or the surface of the
web.
In the: ' " illustrated in Fig. 1, after pressing in the ndp, the web W is detached
from the press felt and run to a drying fabric 7, which conveys the web around a plurality of
drying cylinders, two of which are designated 8 and 9, and onwards through at least a first
poriion of the drymg section.
At least one of the two rolls, more specifically--in the; ' " shown in Fig. 2--
roll 4, has a stationary support beam 10, a rotatable roll shell 11 disposed about the beam and
~Vo 9S/15413 2 1 7 6 ~ 3 ~ Pcr/Sl 94101140
defining a space i' ' and a roll shell support device, generaUy designated 12, for
providing vertically-movable and rotatable snpport of the roll shell 11 relative to the support
beam 10. In the preferred ci ~ ' shown the roll shell 11 is flexible, amd the roll shell
support includes a hydrostatic press shoe 13 and two rows of hydraulic jacks 14 and IS for
5 adjustably pressimg a leading edge amd a trailing edge of the shoe 13 against the interior surface
of the flexible shell 11. The shoe face pressed against the flexible shell has a concavely
recessed surface portion adapted to the peripheral shape of the other roll 5 so as to form an
extended nip between the flexible shell 11 and said other roll S.
With reference to Fig. 1, a compact frame assembly is nsed to maintain rolls 4 and 5 in
o their intended positions. The compact frame assembly inclndes two bearing honsmg members
IC for roll 4 and two bearing housing members 17 for roll 5. These four bearing honsing
m~mbers are aoapted to be monmted one on each roll end for supporting the roll ends at least
pivotaUy. Fnrther, each of the two bearing housing members for one of the rolls is adapted to
be disposed adjacent to each of the two bearing honsing members for the other roll and forms
5 with said adjacent bearmg housimg member a pair of bearmg housing members.
Each bearing housimg member IC for bottom roll 4 has t~vo seat surfæes 18 and 19 plæed
~ "~, with respect to the vertical press plane and fæing ' ..AA.. ~ ontward therefrom.
Two cantilever beams 20 and 21 extend parallel to each other across the width of the machme
and are ' by t~vo cross beams 22 extending in the machine direction. Each cross
20 beam has a vertical recess shaped to confomm with a bottom portion of bearmg honsimg member
IC and its two seat surfæes 18 amd 19. Eæh bearing honsmg member IC is secnred to its
associated cross beam 22 by me~ms of screws, not shown. Two removable supports 23 amd 24
are shown inserted between a bottom snrface of one of the cross beams 22 and the adjæent one
of the bottom rails I with these two snpports 23 and 24 being temporarily removed when a new
25 press felt C has to be subs'dtuted for a wom one. Cantilever beams 20 and 21 are shown having
brækets 25 and 2C, respectively, for a driven guide roll 27 and a non-driven one 28,
respectively, for the press felt C.
As shown in Fig. 3, at its axial ends, stationary support beam 10 is provided with stub
shafts 77, above referred to as roll ends of bottom roll 4, and each stub shaft 77 extends
30 through its associated bd housimg member lC. To prevent any rotation of the stationary
support beam 10, a forked stop member 78 is mounted on bearing honsing member lC with the
furcations of the forked stop member 78 extending parallel to the axis of bottom roll 4 and
being , " '~, spæed from said roll axis, and a ring member 79 is fixedly clamped onto
stub shaft 77 and has am arm 80 projecting rædially into the gap fommed between the furcations
35 with a minimnm of play between arm 80 and the furcations of stop member 78. Forked stop
member 78, ring member 7g, and atm 80 are best shown in Figs. 3 and 4.
W095115413 PCT/SE94/01140 --
21~7~
Referring to Fig. 1, on the drive side of the mæhine, a gear box is integral with bearing
housing member 17, and a dashed circle in an upper descending quadrant of roll 5 indicales
how rotational power is supplied to roll 5 At its top, each bearing housiDg member 17 for top
roll S is flxed by meams of screws, not shown, to a suspended vertically movable beam 29
s extending parallel to top roll S. Each end of beam 29 is shown pivotally comnected to adjæent
column 2 over a parallel link mechanism 30, which restricts the movement of the beam 29,
when lifted or lowered, to a ' "~, vertical movement. Lifting and lowering is necessary
when a new press felt 6, for example, has to be substituted for a worn one, or when roll 5 has
to be temporarily spæed from roll 4 for some other reason. For liftmg beam 29 and, thus, roll 5
0 SO as to spæe roll 5 from roll 4, a lift cylinder 31 is pivotally ' between each end
of the beam and the adjacent top beam 3. A lug 32 projects downwards from each top beam 3,
amd beam 29 has two end walls, each of which has a bore 33 that upon lifting of beam 29 will
be placed in alignment with a ~ . ' v hole m the lug 32, so as to permit the insertion of
a bolt, not shown, through each lug amd associated bore in order to temporarily lock beam 29 in
its lifted position.
To form a complete and operative compact frame assembly, the assembly includes--in
addition to the four bealing housing members 16 and 17--a device for v the two
bearing housing members of each pair. As is most clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7, this
v device includes, for each pair of bearing housing members, at least two
v members 34 and 35. Eæh of the v members has a web portion
36, and two rim portions 37 and 38 projecdng from the web portion. Further, the bearing
housmg members 16 and 17 have surfæes defining recesses 39, 40 and 41, 42, respectively, for
engagement with the rim portions 37 and 38 of each of the v members 34 amd 35
so as to prevent the two bearing housing members 16 and 17 of eæh p~ur from appreciably
moving away frvm each other on loadmg of the press.
In accord~mce with the present invention the v members 34 amd 35 are in the
shape of sturdy channel bars, amd the web portion 36 amd the two rim porlions 37 and 38 of the
v members constitute a chalmel bottom 43 amd two chamnel sides 44 and 45,
respecdvely, in each channel bar 34 and 35. Each channel 46 has a symmetrical cross sectional
shape, which over a major portion of a channel depth is of constant channel width from chalmel
side 44 to cbannel side 45. The thickness of the web portion 36 of the channel bar and those of
the two rim portions 37 and 38 are more than twice the depth of channel 46. Further, each
bearing housing member 16 or 17 m each pair includes a plate member 47 and 48, respectively.
The basic shape of plate member 47 is a circular disk while that of plate member 48 is a
rectangular ~ l, and each plate member 47 and 48 has two sides 49, 50 and 51, 52,
respectively. When the bearing housing member 16 or 17 is mounted on a roll end, each of
Wo 95115413 ~ l ~ 6 ~ 3 ~ PC r/SE94~01140
these sides forms a plane that is subst~mtially parallel to a plane ~ to an axis of
rotation of tbe rotatable roll shell 11, with one side (50 and 52) of eæh plate member (47 amd
48, ~ vly) fæmg the rolls and the other side (49 and 51) facing in an opposite direction.
The recesses 39, 40, 41 and 42 for engagement with the v members 34 and
3s are elongated and of substantially ~shaped cross section amd located one m each side of the
plate member 47 and 48, respectively, at an edge thereof, and they extend parallel to each other
amd to said edge, so as to form in one of the two plate members 47 and 48 a head portion 53 of
'~ T-shaped cross section and m the other plate member (48), a foot portion 54 of
inverted ~ T-shaped cross section. In both cases, the "T" shaped heæd portion and
0 foot portion each have a cross piece 55 with a central portion, two free ends, and a plane top
hce 56. The two free ends are of constant thickness, ~ v - v a bevelled outer edge of the
bottom fæe of the cross piece. The two plate members 47 and 48 in eæh pair of bearing
housing members 16 and 17 are disposed with the cross piece top face 56 of the head portion
~3 facmg that of the foot portion 54. The cross piece 55 of the head portion s3. the cross piece
55 of the foot portion 54 and, if desired, a removable ' y member, not shown, which
may be provided to space the foot portion 54 from the head portion 53. all are of a combmed
thickness that is slightly smaller than the cha~mel width of the channel bars 34 and 35. Still
further, a device 57 is provided for moumting two channel bars 34 amd 35 with their chalmels 46
fæmg each other, one on eæh side of the pair of plate members 47 and 48, and with the
channel bars 34 and 35 in clamping engagement with the cross pieces 55 of the head portion 53
and the foot portion 54.
Simce the compact frame assembly of the present invention does not require the provision
of a removable ' ~ member between the two bearing housing members 16 and 17 ofone pair in order to permit an easy exchamge of felt 6 or flexible roll shell 11, it is prefer~ed
that the head portion 53 directly supports the foot portion 54, at least when the press is m an
unloaded condition, as illustrated in Fig. 6. On loading of the press, head portion 53 amd foot
portion 54 will be pulled away from each other a small dist~mce, ~ ~i ' v to the total
clearance required for easy mounting, umtil the movement is stopped by the bottom faces of the
cross pieces 55 engaging the channel sides 44 and 45 of the sturdy channel bars. Then, a small
gap is formed between the plane top faces 56 of cross pieces 55 as shown in Fig. 7.
Means, mdicated by numerals 71 amd 73 to 76, suitably are provided for preventing the
plate members 47 amd 48 of each plate member pair from bemg displaced relative to eæh other
m a plane 1~ to a loading direction of the press. Such ~ preventing
means may be located between the two plate members 47 and 48 of each pair as shown in Figs.
6 and 7 and may include keys disposed in two pairs of crossing opposed key-ways 73. 74. and
WO95115413 PCTISE94/01140 ~
21 7~73~ lo
75, 76, respectiYely, provided in the two plate members 47 and 48 of each plate member pair.
One key, designated 71, is shown in Figs. 6 and 7.
In order to avoid that the weights of the charlnel bars 34 and 35 wiU be a bother to the
mechar,ics, the device 57 for mounting the channel bars preferably includes a moving device 58
for moving the channel bars between a first position, shown in Fig. 4, where they are in
cngagement with head portion 53 of plate member 47 and foot portion 54 of plate member 48
in each pair of plate members, and a second position, shown in Fig. 5, where the channel bars
are more spaced from each other and out of engagement with said portions, so as to permit foot
portion 54 to be moved away from head porlion 53. The moYing deYice 58 may include a link
0 system generaUy designated S9, in which the channel bars 34 and 35 are suspended, and at least
one ætuator 60 for swinging the lin~s of the system and, thus, the channel bars 34 and 35 away
from and back toward one another.
In the; ' - iUustrated in Figs. 3 to 5, there is a first set of links and an associated
actuator located downstream of the press plane, thus on the right hand side in Fig. 3. There also
is an identical second set of lir,ks and an associated actuator located upstream of the press
plane. As is best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, on its downstream side, plate member 48 of upper
bearing housing member 17 of a pair has two horizontaUy projecting piYot pins 61 and 62
located side by side on a leYel with a root of the foot portion 54, which piYot pins extend
paraUel to each other and to the channel bars 34 and 35. A first link in the set of lin~s is a
two-armed leYer 63 haYing a first arln 64 located in one Yertical plane paraUel to the press
plane, a second arm 65 located in another Yerdcal plane paraUel to the press plane, and a
bushing 66 fitting piYotaUy on piYot pin 61 and ~ the two arms 64 and 65. The
first arm 64 is fixed to an end surface of channel bar 34, and the second arm 65 has a free end,
to which actuator 60 is operatiYely connected. Actuator 60 is piYotaUy mounted on the
downstream Yertical narrow side Of 1, ~ plate member 48, so as to be able to moYe
to the extent required when swinging two-armed lever 63 on pivot pin 61. In order to permit
the second arm of two-armed lever 63 to move in a Yertical plane axiaUy outside piYot pin 62,
pivot pin 61 and bushing 66 are ,u .J~I~ longer than pivot pin 62. A second lirlk in the set
of lirlks is a one-armed leYer 67, which is of a shape similar to that of said first arm 64 and
fitted piYotally on the other piYot pin 62, and which is fixed to an adjacent end surface of the
other channel bar 35.
If some flexibility in the linkage connecting the actnator to the channel bar is desired,
bushing 66 in an ~ ' ' not shown may consist of an imner and an outer metal tube and
an " tubular body of a resilient material, such as rubber, adhering to the exterior
surface of the imner tube and to the intenor surface of the outer tnbe. Then, one end of the outer
~w 2l~673~
o 95115413 Pcr/sEs4/01140
Il
tube is fixed to one of the arms of the two-armed lever, and the opposite end of the inner tube
is fixed to the other arm of the two-armed lever.
A, . ' ~ ~ is provided at the opposite end of the channel bars 34 amd
35, but there the t vo-armed lever has its first arm fixed to an end surface of channel bar 35,
5 while the one-armed lever is fixed to an end surface of channel bar 34. ('~ . ~S~, ætnator
C0 operates channel bar 34, while the ætuator provided at the opposite end of the charmel bars
operates chaumel bar 35.
In order not to have to re~y on the ability of the actnators 60 of maintaining the channel
bars 34 and 35 in a position of maximum engagement with the head portion 53 and the foot
o portion 54 of the bearing housing members lC and 17, respectively, when the press is in
operation, it is snitable to provide for a loc~ing of the relative positions. To æhieve am
imexpensive and reliable position locl~ing of the channel bars 34 and 35, the device 57 for
mounting the channel bars preferably includes at least one nut member 68 that is secnred to an
axial end of one 35 of the two channel bars 34 and 35, a screw guide member 69 secured to an
5 adjæent axial end of the other chalmel bar 34, and a machine screw 70. More precisely, in the
illustrated in Fig. 4 nut member 68 is secured to one-armed lever 67, amd screw
guide member 69 is sec~red to the first arm 64 of two-armed lever 63. Nut member 68 is
tnbular amd, . 'S, has a threaded bore, which extends in a direction ' "~,
5 to the web porLion 36 of said one 35 of the channel bars. Also screw g ude
20 member 69 is tnbular amd has a bore extending in a direc~don ' "S~ to the
web portion 36 of said other chalmel bar 34 and in alignment with the threaded bore when the
two channel bars 34 and 35 are in engagement with the cross pieces 55 of the head portion 53
amd the foot porlion 54. The machine screw 70 e~ctends through the bore of the screw gmde
member 69 and imto threaded engagement with the threaded bore of the nut member 68. A
25 tightening of machine screw 70 makes an end fæe of screw g ude member 69 abut an ædjæent
end face of nut member 68, so as to frx the positions of channel bars 34 and 35 relative to eæh
other. In the ' ' illnstrated in Figs. 3 to 5, a similar ~ is provided also at
the other end of each of the two channel bars 34 and 35, where the nut member is secured to
the first arm of the two-armed lever fixed to chaumel bar 35, and the screw guide member is
30 secured to the one-armed lever fixed to channel bar 34.
When, like in the illustrated ' ' t, one of the two rolls 4 and 5 is a shoe type press
roll 4 havimg a stationary support beam 10 and a rotatable, flexible roll shell 11 of a
' diameter, a maximum dimension of the bearing housing members 16 for the shoe
type press roll 4 is smaller than said I ' ' diameter, so as to permit a worn flexible
35 shell 11 to be pulled out axially from the support beam 10 and exteriorly of the beauing housing
member 16, and a new flexible shell to be substituted for the wom one by pulling the new shell
WO 9S/15413 217 6 ~ 3 ~ PCr/SE94/01140 ~
exteriorly over the bearing housing member 16 and onto the support beam 10. This exchange is
carried out by first ~' ~ the _ means from the bearing housing members
16 amd 17, temporarily lifting roll 5 in relation to roll 4, and then temporarily lifting one end of
the shoe type press roll 4 im relation to frame member 22. A temporary gap is formed between
the bearing housing member 16 of the lifted end of the shoe type press roll 4 and frame
member 22, thus allowmg the exchange of flexible roll shells to take place. As described above,
in the iJlustrated ' ' t, bearing housimg member 16 basically has the shape of a circular
disk of a diameter that is smaller than the diameter of the flexible roll shell 11.
Figs. 8 to 11 illustrate a press section which is similar im construction to that previously
0 described in detail with reference to Figs. I to 7. To avoid repetitive description, elements of
this press sedion which correspond to elements preYiously described with reference to Figs. I
to 7 will be identiF~ed with r " _ reference characters, amd the elements which differ
from those previously described will be identified with reference numbers im the hundreds
series.
In summary, Figs. 8 to 11 illustrate am alterrlative moving device lS8 for moving the
channel bars between a first position (shown in Fig. 8 amd Fig. 9) where they are in engagement
with head portion 53 of plate member 47 and foot portion 54 of plate member 48 in each pair
of plate members, amd a second position, (shown in Fig. 11) where the chammel bars are more
spaced from each other and out of engagement with said portions, so as to permit foot portion
54 to be moved away from head portion 53. The moving device 158 may include a link system
generally designated 159, In which the chalmel bars 34 and 35 are suspended, and at least one
actuator 160 for swinging the links of the system amd, thus, the charmel bars 34 amd 35 away
from and bæk toward one anotheL
As best shown in Figs. 9 to 11, on its downstream side, plate member 48 of upper bearing
housimg member 17 has a pair of horizontaUy projectmg pivot pins 161 and 162 extending
parallel to each other and to the chalmel bars 34 and 35. A fiLst link im the linkage system lS9
is a two-armed lever 163 which is pivotally mounted on pivot pin 162 amd having a fiLst arm
164 fixed to an end suLface of channel bar 3S and a second arm 165 foLmed by a lug to which
actuator 160 is operatively commected. A second link in the linkage system 159 is a one-armed
lever 167, which is fitted pivotaUy on the other pivot pin 161, amd which is fixed to an adjacent
end suLface of the other channel bar 34. A toothed member 181 having a gear sector is secured
to each of the levers 163 and 167, with the teeth in meshmg ~ e~n~ Thus, by operating
the piston rods of actuator 160 to push or pull the lugs of the two-armed levers, the charmel
bars 34 and 35 are swung out of or into engagement with the foot portion 53 of the upper
bearing housing member and the head pOL~iOn 54 of the lower bearing housing member.
~.~7673~
WO95/15413 PCr/SE94/0ll40
13
The actuators ~60 are ll.~d~.luL~d y operated piston and cylinder assemblies. ~ach such
assembly has an upper . ~ short cylinder 182, an upper piston with an upwardly
extending, ~ short piston rod 183, a lower , ~l.y Iong cylinder 184, and a
lower piston with a C~JIII~U~ ong piston rod 185 having a free end for engagement with
5 the lug of the two-armed lever 165. The upper section of the assembly which includes cyLnder
182 and piston rod 183 has a ~ ,Iy short stroke amd is used to swmg the chalmel bars
between the fully closed position shown in Figs. 8 and g and the partly open position shown in
Fig. 10. It will be seen in Fig. 10 that in the partly open posidon, the adjacent end of the lower
roll 4 will prevent the ilmGrmOSt chamnel bar 34 from being swung out to its maximum open
10 position. However, the chalmel bars are spaced apart sufficien~dy to permit the upper roll 5 to be
lifted so that a gap 186 of about 0.25 m is formed between the foot pofion 54 and the head
portion 53 as illustrated in Fig. I l . When the upper roll 5 has been lifted these 0.25 m, the
longer stroke of the lower section of the actuator assembly which imcludes piston 184 and
piston rod 185 can be used to swmg out the chalmel bars to their most spaced apart position
5 shown in Fig. I l. Then, a worn flexible roll shell can be easily be pulled out and a new one
mounted in its place. If the upper roll can be lifted high enough above the lower roll to increase
the gap 186 to about 0.35 m, the chalmel bars do not need to be moved further outward tham to
the position shown in Fig. 10 im order not to obstruct a chamge of the flexible roll shell.
While the present invention above has been described with reference to the drawmgs,
20 which show preferred ' ' . several obvious ' ~ thereof are possible within
the scope of the appended claims. As am illustrative example, it would be possible to use
another type of actuator amd link mecùanism for moving the channel bars into and out of
engagement with the head portion of one bearing housmg member and the foot portion of the
adjacent bearing housmg member. It would even be possible to refrain from usimg such a
25 mechanism and instead install and remove the chalmel bars entirely manually. Similarly, it
would be possible to provide in the web portion of one channel bar, a dear;mce bore acting as a
screw guide member, and m the web portion of the other chalmel bar, am aligned threaded bore
actmg as a nut member, and to provide two opposed grooves of . ' cross section in
the opposing surfaces of the plate members of a plate member pair to permit the passage of the
30 machine screw from the clearlmce bore to the threaded bore. It would also be possible to invert
the positions of the two rolls of the press, so that the counter roll would be a bottom roll, and
the shoe type press roll or other roll having a rotatable roll shell would be a top roll, and when
the press is felted, it could also be ~' ' ' '~,1.~1 instead of single-felted.
